Department for Transport

Public Transport: Accidents

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in each of the last ten years, how many people were killed or seriously injured in (1) the UK, and (2) the Greater London area (a) as passengers in a bus or coach; (b) as passengers in a train; (c) in accidents involving a bus or coach as pedestrians, cyclists or in another vehicle; and (d) in accidents involving a train as pedestrians, cyclists or in another vehicle.

baroness sugg: The data are provided in the following tables: Table 1: (a) Number of people killed or serious injured (KSI) in Great Britain and London, as passengers in a bus or coach, 2007 to 2016: Great BritainLondon200741811820083921372009343108201036488201131782201230190201332084201427967201525869201626670Source: DfT STATS19Note:1) These figures relate to passengers killed or seriously injured in a bus or coach, and exclude any casualties to the driver of a bus or coach.   Table 2: (c) Number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in Great Britain and London in accidents involving a bus or coach which includes pedestrian, cyclist and any other vehicle occupant or driver KSIs, 2007 to 2016: Great BritainLondon20071306368200811763742009102530520101010236201193223220129102332013850197201485018520157741662016730166Source: DfT STATS19Note:1) Includes pedestrian, cyclists or any occupants of vehicles who are in an accident with a bus or coach. These figures include the driver and passengers which are killed or seriously injured. The Department for Transport does not hold the data for Northern Ireland in its road casualties database. The required information is available on request from Statistics Branch at the Police Service of Northern Ireland at statistics@psni.police.uk.In addition, the Department does not hold the specific information on rail casualties as requested for parts b) and d). Please contact the Rail Safety and Standard Board (RSSB), who hold more detailed information on these matters. They can be contacted on the following email address: enquirydesk@rssb.co.uk.

Midland Main Railway Line

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the proposed remodelling at Derby station and at Market Harborough station on train journey times between London and Sheffield.

baroness sugg: The journey time improvement assessments for the Derby and Market Harborough improvements are: Derby station remodelling: Sheffield to London – 1.5 min saving / London to Sheffield – 2.5 min savingMarket Harborough line speed improvements (for non-stopping trains): Sheffield to London – 0.5 min saving / London to Sheffield – 0.5 min saving Please note the savings above represent infrastructure capability; the final journey time improvements will be determined by the operating timetable, the development of which is ongoing.

Dangerous Driving

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 16 October (HL1657), how many non-serious casualties resulted from cases where the driver failed to stop after a collision in 2016.

baroness sugg: In 2016 there were 16,531 slight casualties where the driver failed to stop after a collision.

Home Office

Islamic State: Prosecutions

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to implement the recommendation in paragraph 6.2.1. of Council of Europe Resolution 2190 (2017) to investigate and prosecute any suspected Daesh members who come within the UK’s jurisdiction or control.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to implement the recommendation in paragraph 6.2.2. of Council of Europe Resolution 2190 (2017) to prosecute all offences committed within the UK’s jurisdiction relating to Daesh’s activities abroad, and to ratify and fully implement the 2005 Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS No. 196) and its 2015 Additional Protocol (CETS No. 217).

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation in paragraph 6.2.4. of Council of Europe Resolution 2190 (2017).

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation in paragraph 6.2.4. of Council of Europe Resolution 2190 (2017).

baroness williams of trafford: UK terrorism legislation is fully compliant with the Council of Europe Convention and the Additional Protocol, and allows us to prosecute individuals in the UK who have engaged in a broad range of terrorist activity overseas in connection with Daesh or any other terrorist organisation. The UK is a signatory to both instruments and plans to ratify them.Everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq must expect to be investigated by the police to determine if they have committed criminal offences and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.Paragraph 6.2.4 of the Resolution calls on member states to refuse refugee status to fighters who may have committed acts of genocide and/or other serious crimes prohibited under international law.We have a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, but we will deny the benefits of refugee status to those who commit serious crimes and are a danger to the community and those who are a danger to national security, including war criminals, those who commit crimes against humanity and those involved in terrorism either in the UK or abroad.

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to enact restrictions on free movement for EU nationals prior to Brexit; and if so, how.

baroness williams of trafford: There are no plans to enact restrictions on free movement for EU citizens prior to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.The Government has repeatedly made clear that until we leave the EU, EU citizens will continue to enjoy the same rights and status, and remain subject to the same residence requirements under EU law, as is currently the case.This is set out in our position paper published on 26th June 2017, available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu 



pdf copy of publication - safeguarding position...
(PDF Document, 1.27 MB)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Iraq: Islamic State

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they took, prior to tabling UN Security Council Resolution 2379, to assess the capacity of Iraqi national courts to conduct the recommended prosecutions of Daesh fighters.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are working closely with the Government of Iraq to bring Daesh to justice. The UK continues to work with the High Judicial Council and Counter-Terrorism Investigative Judges to assess the current capability of the Iraqi judiciary, including on human-rights compliance. Most recently the Attorney General met the Chief Justice of Iraq on his visit to the UK in October, where they discussed the importance of holding Daesh to account through the courts. We have identified areas where we can share expertise and will continue to work closely with the Iraqi Judiciary to ensure due process and compliance with international law.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the government of Sudan upholds its ceasefire agreements in South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK welcomes the reduction in conflict between government forces and the armed opposition in the Two Areas in recent months, as well as the extension by the government of Sudan of the unilateral cessation of hostilities until 31 December 2017. In the most recent round of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue on 16 October, we urged the Government of Sudan to extend this further.We continue to urge both sides to engage constructively with the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) peace process in order to agree upon a permanent ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to deploy the UK team of experts on preventing sexual violence in conflict to Bangladesh to document evidence of alleged rape and sexual violence against the Rohingya people.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development (DFID) officials are urgently assessing the UN-led Sexual and Gender-Based Violence response in Bangladesh, including the level of identification and outreach and clinical management and what additional support the UK may usefully provide.DFID has funded the deployment of an international expert to UNFPA in Cox's Bazar to lead the Gender-Based Violence Sub-Sector, part of the UNHCR-led Protection Sector of the international humanitarian response. We are currently ​in dialogue with the Coordinator to better understand the level of incidence, response and coordination and associated challenges. We will then assess whether deploying additional UK expertise is required to reinforce UN-led efforts, including documentation, already underway in country.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Non-governmental Organisations

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have changed the rules which prevent non-governmental bodies from using government premises for non-governmental purposes; and if no change in the rules has been made, why thelaunchof the non-governmental Initiative for Free Trade was allowed to take place in the Map Room of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in early October.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Foreign and Commonwealth Office premises may be used by non-governmental bodies for events that are in line with Government policy, as in this case.

British Overseas Territories: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to provide observer status for British Overseas Territories during the Commonwealth Summit in London in April 2018.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is committed to strengthening the links between the Overseas Territories and the Commonwealth. As membership of the Commonwealth is limited to sovereign states, the Overseas Territories cannot attend the Heads of Government Meeting or other ministerial meetings in their own right but will be represented by the UK. The UK Government will discuss the four policy pillars for the summit (security, sustainability, fairness and prosperity), with the Overseas Territories ahead of next year’s summit, in order to seek their views and feedback.

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Colombia to ensure that the recent peace agreement is fully implemented in consultation with local communities.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Through the Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) and our contribution to the UN Trust Fund, the UK is supporting local participation in regional development plans that flow from the Peace Agreement. The UK is also supporting a project to give the High Commissioner for Peace a regional presence, which will improve links with local communities.

Colombia: Administration of Justice

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what technical support they are providing to the government of Colombia to ensure that an effective system of transitional justice is implemented under the recent peace agreement.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is supporting the implementation of Transitional Justice mechanisms required by Colombia’s Peace Agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)​ through programmes funded by the Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF). This includes helping the Colombian Government establish the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and promoting the rights of victims, and access to justice for women.

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Colombia to progress peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), extend the bilateral ceasefire, and to fully dismantle the paramilitary groups.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I welcome the temporary ceasefire with the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the UK encourage all efforts that lead to a lasting peace. The UK played a leading role in the UN Security Council that led to the adoption of Resolution 2377 on 5 October, which authorises the UN Mission in Colombia to monitor the ceasefire.

Colombia: Human Rights

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Colombia to protect those defending human rights; and how they are helping the government of Colombia to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of crimes against those defending human rights.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Working together to improve respect for human rights is a key part of our relationship with the Colombian Government and civil society. The Prime Minister raised the issue of violence against human rights defenders with President Santos during the State Visit last November. At a practical level, our Ambassador to Colombia is a member of the group "Ambassadors with Defenders" which promotes the work of human rights defenders and raises concerns about specific cases with the Colombian Government. Through the Global Britain Fund, our Embassy in Bogota supports projects that promote the role of human rights defenders and strengthen the investigatory capacity of the Public Prosecutor’s office. In January, British Embassy staff in Bogota took part in a visit to South Bolivar, where local community leaders have voiced concerns about their security. As a result of this visit, the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Human rights committed to request the Colombian Ministry of Defence to provide additional security measures for community leaders.

Colombia: Overseas Companies

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK businesses operating in Colombia are required to carry out human rights due diligence in relation to their overseas operations and do not initiate projects in Colombia without gaining free, prior and informed consent from the communities that they affect.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights sets out how the Government is implementing the UN Guiding Principles. British firms are expected to uphold these principles in their overseas operations, as well as in the UK. We worked closely with the Colombian authorities to develop their National Action Plan, published in December 2015. All companies operating in Colombia, including British ones, are expected to comply with the requirements and guidelines set out in that National Action Plan. British companies are expected to incorporate human rights into their Corporate Social Responsibility policies. We have also provided technical assistance for British companies in non-judicial dispute resolution.

Yemen: Military Intervention

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the impact of Saudi-led coalition air strikes in Yemen on civilians; and what response they have received.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK takes allegations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations extremely seriously; when they occur, we encourage the Saudi-led Coalition to ensure they are thoroughly investigated. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL and that lessons will be acted upon.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are giving any assistance to help consolidate the recent reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas, and to support negotiations aimed at long-term peace in Palestine.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government is not providing any assistance to help consolidate the recent reconciliation deal. Our longstanding policy on reconciliation remains that we support the Palestinian people in realising self-determination through an independent, sovereign, and unified Palestinian state. We welcome the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) return to Gaza on 2 October and the agreement to allow the PA to resume administrative control. This is an important and positive step toward the restoration of the PA control and effective governance. We encourage those involved in the talks to engage in good faith, to allow the PA to fully resume its government functions in Gaza, and ensure compliance with the Quartet Principles.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, during her meeting with the President of Iran at the UN General Assembly in September, the Prime Minister raised the case of the imprisoned dual Iranian-British national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and what assurances they have received that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe is not being subjected to ill-treatment.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised all of our dual-national cases, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, with their Iranian counterparts in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in September. We continually seek assurances of the wellbeing of British prisoners. We will continue to raise all our dual-national cases with the Iranian authorities at every opportunity, including requesting consular access, not least so that we may be assured of their welfare.

Daphne Caruana Galizia

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with the government of Malta about the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our High Commissioner has met the Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister to discuss the case and to offer UK support to the police investigation.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the conditions for Palestinian women in Israeli prisons andthe number ofPalestinian women currently held in Israeli prisons without charge.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we have raised concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel followinga report from the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission that the Israeli Army has arrested at least 927 children since the beginning of the yearand givenmany of them lengthy sentences.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Ambassador to Tel Aviv raised the issue of children in detention with the Israeli Attorney General on 3 October. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised our concerns surrounding children in detention with the Israeli authorities during his visit to Israel in August 2017.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they plan to take to involve Hamas in future negotiations with Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) return to Gaza on 2 October and the agreement to allow the PA to resume administrative control. However the Government has no plans to take any action to involve Hamas in future negotiations. Our policy on Hamas remains clear: they must renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements. We now expect to see credible movement towards these conditions, which remain the benchmark against which its intentions should be judged. Ultimately we believe that peace will only come through negotiations between the parties involved.

Department for Education

Disabled Students' Allowances: Dyslexia

lord addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average cost to dyslexic students who received their diagnosis before they were18 of the assessment required to allow them to be eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance.

viscount younger of leckie: All students applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances must provide medical evidence to confirm their eligibility.Students with dyslexia must have an assessment or review assessment undertaken after their 16th birthday.We do not hold information on costs.

Disabled Students' Allowances: Dyslexia

lord addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have undertakenor commissioned any study on the impact on those students applying for higher education of requiring dyslexic students to pay for a second assessment and to make a £200 contribution to the cost of computing equipment necessary to carry supportive software.

viscount younger of leckie: The Department has not undertaken any research on diagnostic assessments for dyslexia for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) purposes. DSAs continue to provide funding to dyslexic higher education students for assessed IT equipment costs in excess of £200, as well as for software and other support. DSAs funding is not provided to enable students to confirm their eligibility for support.The Department does not hold information on the numbers of students requiring a first or review assessment to confirm their eligibility for DSAs.

Equality Act 2010

lord lester of herne hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 16 October, whether the Equality and Human Rights Commission has the power to enforce the Equality Act 2010 in the civil courts where it considers the law has been breached.

lord agnew of oulton: The enforcement powers of the Equality and Human Rights Commission are set out in sections 20 to 32 of the Equality Act 2006, as amended by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. The Commission can investigate an unlawful act (section 20); issue an unlawful act notice (section 21); apply to a court for an action plan from a person served with an unlawful act notice (section 22); seek an injunction where necessary (section 24); provide legal assistance to an individual who is or may become party to legal proceedings (section 28); initiate or intervene in judicial review proceedings (section 30); and issue a compliance notice where it thinks that a public authority has failed to comply with the public sector equality duty (section 32).

Apprentices

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the causatory factors leading to a decline in the number of young people starting an apprenticeship in the current year; and how that decline will affect their target to create three million apprenticeships by 2020.

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the reduced number of young people starting an apprenticeship in the current year, they have considered withdrawing the apprenticeship levy charged to companies with more than 250 members of staff.

lord agnew of oulton: There have been over 1.1 million apprenticeship starts since May 2015 and the Government remains committed to reaching 3 million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. The Government has introduced the Apprenticeship Levy to provide sustainable investment in high quality apprenticeships, and by 2020 apprenticeship funding in England will be £2.45 billion, which is double than in 2010. The Government is monitoring the number of apprenticeship starts as these changes take effect. Ultimately, it is too early to draw conclusions on the impact of these reforms before employers have had time to adjust. However, the Government will continue to oversee the apprenticeship program to ensure its success. These reforms to apprenticeships are the biggest changes the Government has ever made in this area, and include the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy and new funding arrangements in April and May respectively. As a result, the Government expects a period of adjustment for employers wanting to explore the opportunities such reforms offer. Employers have 24 months to spend their levy funds.

Immigrants: English Language

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking toensure that UK nationals can meet the English language proficiency threshold that has been setfor non-UK nationals seeking permanent residency.

lord agnew of oulton: The department is supporting adults in England to ensure they have the English language skills for life and work.Adults in England who do not have a Level 2 qualification in English are eligible for free courses up to, and including, Level 2 in English literacy. Adults in England are also eligible for fully or co-funded courses to help them learn English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), depending on their employment status. Funding is available for ESOL courses and qualifications up to Level 2. In 2016/17, the department supported 536,700 adults to improve their English skills through literacy courses and 114,400 through ESOL courses.Since 2013, the Department for Communities and Local Government has invested £12 million to support 54,000 isolated adults to learn English in community settings at pre-entry level, focusing on women with no or very little English who are unlikely to access classes in more formal settings.The English language proficiency level for non-UK nationals seeking permanent residency or applying to naturalise as British citizens is set at B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This is equivalent to an ESOL Entry Level 3. Detailed Immigration Rules can be accessed here at the below web link or via the attached document.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-koll.

Great Yarmouth Charter Academy

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the staff guidelines issued by the Great Yarmouth Charter Academy that reportedly state that pupils should vomit in a bucket in their classrooms if they feel unwell.

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions the Regional Schools Commissioner for East of England and North East London has had with the Inspiration Trust about the pupil behaviour policy of the Great Yarmouth Charter Academy.

viscount younger of leckie: When Insipration Trust took on this failing school, it looked to develop a new behaviour policy at Great Yarmouth Charter School. The final version was published on the school website on 12 September. The content of an academy's pupil behaviour policy is a matter for the individual Trust. However, the Regional Schools Commissioner has sought reassurances that all sickness cases are dealt with sympathetically and appropriately and not as stated.

Vocational Guidance

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the comprehensive careers strategy announced in the Building the Industrial Strategy Green Paper, published in January.

lord agnew of oulton: My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has confirmed that we will publish a careers strategy shortly.The strategy will have a clear focus on social mobility. It will include proposals to improve the quality and coverage of careers advice in schools. The strategy will also include steps to improve the access to advice on training and careers for adults throughout their working lives.

Vocational Guidance

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that working people of all ages have easy access to information and guidance on the education and training they can undertake to reskill or upskill.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government will publish a careers strategy shortly, with a clear focus on social mobility. This will include proposals to provide information for individuals to access education and training throughout their working lives, as well as help those who want to reskill and upskill. The National Careers Service provides free and impartial guidance on careers, skills and the Labour Market in England. It allows working people to identify opportunities and respond to challenges within their employment.

Ministry of Justice

Youth Custody

lord laming: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of children and young people in custody on theprison estate.

lord keen of elie: The principal aim of the youth justice system is to prevent offending by children and young people. Since the peak in youth proven offending in 2006/07, the average number of under-18s in youth custody has decreased by 70% from 2,915 to 869 in 2016/17. The sentencing framework for young people provides for robust alternatives to custody in the form of community-based sentences: referral orders and youth rehabilitation orders (including youth rehabilitation orders with intensive supervision and surveillance). Custody should always be a measure of last resort and be the shortest term commensurate with the seriousness of the offence. The main custodial sentence for children and young people, the Detention and Training Order, is not available for children under 12 years old and any case that warrants one of less than four months must result in a non‑custodial sentence.

Ministry of Defence

RAF Marham: Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether infrastructure upgrades at RAF Marham to facilitate the arrival of the Lightning 2 jet aircraft are on schedule.

earl howe: The overall infrastructure project is on schedule for completion.

RAF Marham: Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much is being offered in incentive payments for early delivery of infrastructure to facilitate the accommodation of Lightning 2 jet aircraft at RAF Marham.

earl howe: There are no incentive payments for early delivery.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft: Procurement

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors have caused revision of the delivery programme for the Lightning 2 jet aircraft from amber to amber–red; and what are the implications of that change.

earl howe: The Delivery Confidence Rating for the Lightning Programme as a whole was downgraded in July 2017 to reflect the challenges that exist within a taut schedule in the run up to Initial Operating Capability in December 2018. Specific challenges were related to software, training and weapons integration. These areas are now the focus of significant activity in the Ministry of Defence and industry programme team. Currently, there is expected to be no impact on the UK's ability to declare Initial Operating Capability in December 2018.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 9 October (HC Deb, col 4), whether they will publish the evidence supporting his statement that the roll-out of Universal Credit will mean that 250,000 more people will be in work.

baroness buscombe: In total, it is estimated that Universal Credit will help more than 250,000 people move into employment. There are a number of features of Universal Credit (UC) which we estimate will drive this increase in participation: 1. Increased financial incentives to move into work – UC has better incentives to increase hours of work, meaning workers keep a higher proportion of their additional earnings, with a guarantee that work always pays. We have estimated the impact of financial incentives by combining academic evidence on people’s responses to previous welfare system reforms, and the Department’s Policy Simulation Model. The Policy Simulation Model was used to estimate changes in gains from work and disposable income (i.e. drivers of income and substitution effects) for different groups due to the introduction of Universal Credit. We estimate that increased financial incentives will result in around 150,000 more people in employment under UC in steady state. 2. Increased intensity of work search under Universal Credit. Conditionality is extended under UC to certain groups that were not subject to conditionality under the legacy system, meaning they will get work coach support and encouragement to seek work, and will sign a claimant commitment to spend up to 35 hours (depending on their circumstances and any caring responsibilities) a week seeking work. The conditionality regime in Universal Credit has a wider reach than the equivalent JSA regime in the legacy benefit system. We use evidence of the employment impacts from trials of labour market interventions to estimate the increase in employment for these groups experiencing conditionality for the first time. We estimate that extended conditionality under UC will result in around 50,000 additional people moving into employment. 3. A smoother and simpler transition into work under Universal Credit. Universal Credit places less administrative burden on the claimant and has a clearer system of allowances and tapers that allow claimants to more easily see the financial benefits of moving into work or increasing their hours. The estimated employment impacts of UC due to its simplicity are based on research and evaluation evidence of similar reforms in the past. In particular, it draws on evidence from the:a) quantitative and qualitative evaluations of mandatory work-focused interviews for lone parents and Better Off Calculations; andb) evaluation of In-Work Credit. We estimated that the move to a single system of working-age benefits, in the form of Universal Credit, will result in around 60,000 more people in employment under UC in steady state.

Office for Nuclear Regulation: Public Appointments

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Office for Nuclear Regulation expects to appoint a new Chief Nuclear Inspector.

baroness buscombe: The Office for Nuclear Regulation has already begun the process to recruit a new permanent Chief Nuclear Inspector with a view to an appointment being made by late 2017, subject to ministerial approval.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Common Agricultural Policy

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister’s proposal for a two-year post-Article 50 implementation period includes continued participation in the Common Agricultural Policy.

lord gardiner of kimble: The government is proposing an implementation period of around two years. The detail of interim arrangements will be a matter for negotiation.

Fisheries: North Sea

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the UK's future relationship with the EU,they will seekto continue participating in the North Sea multiannual plan.

lord gardiner of kimble: UK fishing vessels will need to comply with the North Sea Multiannual Plan when fishing in EU waters, both while the UK is still within the EU and when fishing in EU waters in accordance with any agreement post exit. The UK Government will continue to have a strong interest in the overall status and effective long-term management of mixed demersal species and nephrops in the whole North Sea area. The science-based framework established under the Multiannual Plan will provide a valuable support to continued cooperation between the UK and the EU, where it will be important to find a shared basis to agree on sustainable rates of exploitation across all commercially important species. The exact basis for such cooperation is still to be determined.

Agricultural Products: Import Duties

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what understanding they have reached with the EU on sharing out the tariff-rate quotas that govern the import of farm products into the EU from countries outside the bloc; when they anticipate those changes will come into effect; and what effect the proposed sharing out will have on overall quotas registered with the World Trade Organisation.

lord gardiner of kimble: In preparation for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the UK Government and the European Commission have set out a number of proposals for future global trading arrangements in a joint letter to World Trade Organization (WTO) members.The UK and EU Commission have proposed how they will separate the UK’s trading commitments to other WTO members from the EU. The UK’s current trading commitments to other WTO members, such as the tariffs it sets on goods they export to the UK, are applied through the EU’s schedules of commitments. As we leave the EU these will have to be set out separately for the UK. The proposals in the letter cover how the UK’s commitments should be calculated. We are working to ensure the UK schedule replicates as far as possible existing trade flows. The UK aims to extract its share of trade commitments and entitlements from the EU schedule, including agricultural tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) and domestic support. The TRQs apply to a range of everyday items such as dairy products and meat. The proposal is that the quotas for the EU 27 and UK are apportioned based on existing trade flows. Apportioning TRQs will ensure there is limited disruption to existing overall quotas. Using historic trade flows under the EU’s TRQs as a reference will maintain current levels of foreign market access. The total future quota amounts scheduled at the WTO by the EU 27 and the UK will therefore equal the current amounts in the EU schedule. Upon EU exit, the UK will no longer be a member of the EU's Single Market or Customs Union. Therefore, regardless of any implementation period, the UK would still need to have established its own independent schedules at the WTO as it leaves the EU. These should be ready on day one of EU exit to protect UK trade interests and minimise the disruption to global trade. The UK and the EU are committed to engaging with the WTO Membership in a spirit of cooperation, inclusiveness and openness on these matters over the course of the coming weeks and months.

Environment Protection

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that environmental defenders, including park rangers, are being killed in record numbers globally.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK government is committed to supporting those working hard to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Tragically, over 100 rangers have died in the line of duty in the last 12 months, many at the hands of poachers. Through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, Defra has funded three projects supporting park rangers and other environmental defenders. In addition Defra has funded the British Military to provide tracker training for African park rangers, helping to ensure their safety when detecting and disrupting the illegal wildlife trade.

Wild Parsnips

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what dangers wild parsnips pose to the environment and the public.

lord gardiner of kimble: Wild parsnip, Pastinaca sativa subspecies sylvestris, is the wild ancestor of the cultivated garden parsnip. It is part of our native flora and poses no risk to the environment. Some members of the public experience skin irritation or blisters after contact with the plant’s sap and sunlight but the health risk is limited.

Water Abstraction

lord moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the water abstraction system, including in relation to abstraction volumes and licence conditions.

lord gardiner of kimble: Since 2008 the Environment Agency has made changes to over 270 abstraction licences to prevent over 27 billion litres of water per year being removed from the environment. This is enough water to supply half a million people with water for one year. In due course we will publish a water abstraction plan that will detail how we will manage abstraction in a way that is modern, fairer and more resilient and that protects the environment. The plan will set out how the Environment Agency will modify abstraction licences to reflect better the needs of the environment.

Pigs: Animal Welfare

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what measures they have taken in relation to any EU member states that are not in compliance with the sow stall ban contained in EU Directive 2008/120/EC; (2) which states have been subject to such measures; and (3) whether pork imports into the UK from non-compliant countries continue to be allowed.

lord gardiner of kimble: In 2013 the Commission launched infraction proceedings against six member states. These were Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece and Slovenia. A Report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council in September 2016 states that the Commission’s actions to encourage all Member States to enforce the 2013 partial ban on the keeping of sows in sow stalls proved effective. There are no EU marketing rules to prevent imports of pig meat from non-compliant production systems.

Fly-tipping

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of legislation to protect the countryside from fly-tipping.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is committed to tackling fly-tipping in rural and urban areas. Local authorities and the Environment Agency have a full range of enforcement powers to tackle fly-tipping. We have recently strengthened their powers. We have given local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small scale fly-tipping and enhanced the ability of local authorities’ and the Environment Agency to search, seize and destroy vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. We have also strengthened the Sentencing Council’s Guidelines. The maximum penalties for fly-tipping are imprisonment of up to five years or a potentially unlimited fine.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Building Regulations

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 25 September (HL1605), whether the Building Control Department of a local authority would be deemed an independent scrutiny body when signing off work carried out by contractors working for that same local authority.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Building Act 1984 requires local authorities to carry out the building control function unless the person carrying out the building work has chosen to employ an approved inspector as the building control body. A local authority may act as the building control body in respect of work being carried out by or on behalf of the same local authority.Local authorities are required by the Building Regulations 2010 to take all reasonable steps to be satisfied that building work complies with all applicable requirements in the Building Regulations whoever is carrying out the building work. The Government has published a set of Building Control Performance Standards to provide guidance to building control bodies on how to avoid any possible conflicts of interest.

Letting Agents

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 28 March (HL Deb, col 466), when they expect to legislate to introduce compulsory client money protection for landlords and tenants.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: It is essential that measures on Client Money Protection are considered in the round and implemented in a sensible and coherent way with other changes to the sector, notably the ban on letting agent fees paid by tenants, and regulation of letting agents.We will provide more information on legislation and implementation shortly.

Letting Agents: Fees and Charges

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to legislate to ban letting agents fees.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We sought views on how the ban should be implemented and enforced during an eight week public consultation, which closed on 2 June. We received more than 4,700 responses, which we have been analysing carefully.We will be publishing our response to the consultation and the Tenant Fees Bill shortly. We will provide more information on the implementation timetable following scrutiny of the draft bill.

Landlords: Licensing

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhavemade of local authority private sector landlord licensing schemes.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Licensing is an effective targeted tool delivering improved standards and safety in the private rented sector in specific areas that are suffering from serious problems. The Department will shortly undertake a review of selective licensing.

Right to Buy Scheme: Housing Associations

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they are making on extending Right to Buy to housing association tenants.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We are taking stock of the extension of Right to Buy discounts to housing association tenants, and will announce more details in due course.

Non-domestic Rates

baroness rebuck: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the four-year £435 million package of support for business ratepayers following the 2017 business rate revaluation has been spent; and how much has been used to support bookshops.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Billing authorities are responsible for rebilling eligible businesses due to receive support as part of the £435 million package of funding announced by the Chancellor at the Budget. The Department for Communities and Local Government will be collecting data on the amount spent by billing authorities during the financial year 2017/18 at the end of that period as part of the normal process of reconciling local authority relief payments. On 13 October, the Government published a list of authorities that indicated that they had begun to rebill businesses on each of the three schemes. This list will be updated (attached)regularly, at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-relief-schemes-2017-rebilling-progress



Rebilling progress 
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Non-domestic Rates

baroness rebuck: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bookshops have lost small business rate relief or rural rate relief as a result of the 2017 business rate revaluation; and, beyond the scheme to cap the annual bill increase for any ratepayer losing these reliefs, what plans they have to protect small bookshops from closure.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: DCLG does not hold data specifically on the impact of the revaluation on bookshops. However, the Government has taken action to support small business; it put in place a £3.6 billion package of transitional relief and permanently doubled small business rate relief meaning 600,000 small businesses will pay no business rates at all. The Government also doubled the level of rural rate relief from 50 per cent to 100 per cent for eligible businessesIn addition, at the Spring Budget the Government announced a £110 million of support to help ratepayers losing small business rates relief and rural rate relief – this will ensure increases in their bills this year capped at £600. It also included a £300 million discretionary relief fund for local authorities to design their own schemes. Subject to meeting the criteria for local discretionary schemes, bookshops may be eligible for support from this fund.

Non-domestic Rates

baroness rebuck: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide guidanceon the use of the £300 million fund for local authorities to distribute to help businesses facing higher business rate bills; and, if so, whether this guidance will cover support for bookshops.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government will not be providing guidance on the use of the £300 million fund. Under the terms of the £300 million discretionary fund, billing authorities are responsible for designing the criteria of their local schemes and these criteria may include bookshops.

HM Treasury

Income Tax

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the October International Monetary Fund half-yearly fiscal monitor report view that tax systems should have become more progressive to reduce inequality and that there is now "scope for increasing the progressivity of income taxation without significantly hurting growth".

lord bates: The International Monetary Fund’s report conclusions consider the OECD as a whole and are not specifically aimed at the UK. The UK already has a progressive system. The income tax system consists of three progressive rates of tax – 20%, 40% and 45%, which sit above an internationally high tax-free personal allowance. As a result the top 1% of income taxpayers pay 28% of all income tax and HMRC statistics show additional rate taxpayers paid £46.7bn of tax in 2014-15 compared with £34.5bn in 2010-11.

Economic Policy

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policy options available toHM Treasury and the Bank of England in the event of a sharp slowdown in the UK's economy.

lord bates: The government’s economic objective is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth. To this end, the government’s economic strategy consists of: operationally independent monetary and macroprudential policy responsible for maintaining price and financial stability and supporting the economy; credible fiscal policy with the flexibility to support the economy; and structural reforms to address long-term economic weaknesses.

Inflation

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have recently considered setting a temporary or permanent increase in the inflation target set for the Monetary Policy Committee.

lord bates: The Bank of England Act 1998 established that the objectives of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England are to maintain price stability and, subject to that, to support the economic policy of the Government. The Chancellor reaffirmed at the Spring Budget 2017 that the committee will continue to target 2 per cent inflation as defined by the 12-month increase in the consumer prices index.

Infrastructure: Capital Investment

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total expenditure per resident on publicly funded infrastructure projects in (1) London, (2) the North West, (3) the East of England, (4) Yorkshire and the Humber, (5) the South East, (6) the South West, (7) the East Midlands, (8) the West Midlands, and (9) the North East, in financial year 2015–16.

lord bates: Public expenditure on infrastructure in the English regions for 2015-16 can be found on page 75 of HM Treasury’s 2016 ‘Country and Regional Analysis’, as part of a wider dataset breaking down public spending in the UK. The figures provided in that document are:  North EastNorth WestYorkshire and the HumberEast MidlandsWest MidlandsEastLondonSouth EastSouth WestTotal EnglandTotal:4187024893524454681,079488428582  An explanation of the difficulties in determining spend at a regional level can be found on page 8. For example, the robustness of allocation methods varies according to the availability of data and simplifying assumptions are made in order to reduce the reporting burdens for government bodies.

Economic Surveys

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the content of the OECD Economic Survey of the United Kingdom 2017 before agreeing to the same report being launched in the buildings of HM Treasury.

lord bates: The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is an independent international organisation, and its Economic Survey of the United Kingdom 2017 represents its own views. The government welcomes regular surveillance of the UK economy by international institutions as a source of external challenge and scrutiny.

Brexit

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of predictions made by the OECD, in the light of the statement made by OECD Director General, Jose Angel Gurria on 27 April 2016, which suggested that a UK exit from the EU would immediately hit confidence and would result in UK GDP being reduced by 3 per centby 2020.

lord bates: The government has not made an assessment of the accuracy of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) predictions. The OECD is an independent international organisation, and its analysis of the UK economy represents its own views.

Credit: Interest Rates

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the consumer and systematic risk arising from high-cost credit products.

lord bates: The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, transferring regulatory responsibility to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014. Since the transfer, the FCA has taken a proactive approach on consumer credit, to ensure that all consumers who use high-cost credit products are treated fairly. The Government welcomes the ongoing work of the FCA to review the high-cost credit market. The government established an independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC) and gave the FPC a primary objective to identify, monitor and take action to remove or reduce systemic risks with a view to protecting and enhancing financial stability. To ensure lenders are resilient to defaults related to consumer credit, the FPC has acted to accelerate its analysis of credit losses that banks could incur in the very deep recession encapsulated in the 2017 annual stress test scenario. The FPC has stated that regulatory capital buffers for individual firms will be set following the full stress test results so that each bank can absorb its losses on consumer lending, alongside all the other effects of the stress scenario on its balance sheet.

Funerals

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current level of protection for consumers purchasing a funeral plan, including protectionfrom inappropriate sales and marketing practices.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to strengthen the regulation of the funeral plan market in order to improve consumer protection.

lord bates: The provision of a funeral plan is defined as a regulated activity and falls within the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory remit unless specific exemption criteria are met. This arrangement and these exemption criteria are set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001.This legislation exempts funeral plan providers from the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory remit where the following financial arrangements are conducted, which are designed to ensure that the customer’s payments are secure: the customer’s money is held in a trust fund, where more than half of the trustees are unconnected with the funeral plan provider. This trust must be managed by an authorised fund manager and be overseen by a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries; orthe customer’s money is placed in a life insurance policy, issued by an authorised insurer. HM Treasury sets the legislative framework for the regulation of financial services, including the provision of funeral plans, and continues to keep such exemptions under review to ensure the maintenance of effective prudential and conduct standards.

Cabinet Office

Impact Assessments

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on the publication of impact assessments in relation to (1) primary legislation and (2) secondary legislation.

lord young of cookham: The Government's policy is to develop and publish impact assessments for any proposals that have a regulatory impact, whether delivered through primary or secondary legislation.  The form that these should take and the level and type of detail and evidence they provide should be proportionate to the scale of impacts and the stage of policy development.

Legislation

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on pre-legislative consultation.

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on pre-legislative scrutiny by Parliament.

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government which bills they intend to subject to pre-legislative scrutiny this session.

lord young of cookham: The Government is committed to engaging with the public and other interested parties as policies are developed through formal and informal consultation. Where possible the Government is keen to facilitate formal pre-legislative scrutiny of draft legislation. A revised set of consultation principles was published in 2016 to give clear guidance to Government Departments on consultations. A copy of these principles can be found in the attached document.Three draft bills have already been published this session: the Draft Health Service Safety Investigations Bill, the Draft Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariffs Cap) Bill and draft legislation on the Personal Injury Discount Rate. These draft bills are available for select committees to scrutinise as they see fit.At the State Opening of Parliament on 21 June 2017, the Government announced two further bills would be published in draft this session: the draft Tenants’ Fees Bill and draft Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill. These will be published in due course. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has recently announced their intention to publish draft legislation on animal cruelty sentencing. Tax legislation is regularly published draft for technical consultations.



Attachment
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Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations

lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what date has been agreed for the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU negotiations; and what is the frequency of meetings intended for the future.

lord young of cookham: Meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) are subject to agreement by all four administrations. JMC(EN) met most recently on 16 October and agreed to meet again before Christmas.

Joint Ministerial Committee

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government how far in advance they aim to circulate papers to those attending meetings of (1) the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary), and (2) theJoint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations).

lord young of cookham: Papers for meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary) and the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotations) are subject to agreement by all administrations. Once agreed, papers are circulated to attendees by the JMC joint secretariat consisting of officials of all four administrations.

Joint Ministerial Committee

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings of (1) the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary), and (2) theJoint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations), they intend to convene in 2018.

lord young of cookham: Meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary) and the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) are subject to agreement by all four Administrations. JMC(EN) met most recently on 16 October and agreed to meet again before Christmas.The Memorandum of Understanding agreed between the UK Government and Devolved Administrations states that the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary) should meet at least once a year. The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations will work together to agree any future date of the next Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary).

Devolution

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their response dated 17 January to the report from the Constitution Committee Inter-governmental relations in the United Kingdom (Session 2014–15, HL Paper 146), when their report on inter-governmental relations will be published.

lord young of cookham: Work on the annual report of the Joint Ministerial Committee is currently being taken forward by representatives of the UK Government and each of the devolved administrations, and is expected to be published in due course.

Elections

lord blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the anticipated date of publication of their review into democratic engagement.

lord young of cookham: The Government’s Democratic Engagement Strategy will be published in December.

Subversion

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take to ensure that other states do not interfere improperly in the UK’s democratic process.

lord young of cookham: Ahead of the 2017 General Election, a series of protective measures were put in place to mitigate or reduce risks to the UK’s democratic process. The Cabinet Office, with the National Cyber Security Centre, continues to monitor the threat to all UK democratic processes whether at a national, regional or local level.All Government Departments, organisations and institutions have a role to play in protecting their data and preventing adversaries obtaining information they could misuse.

Department of Health

Surrogate Motherhood: Lone Parents

baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 12 October (HL1633), whether they have considered the potential discriminatory effects of the remedial order against infertile single women, particularly those who use surrogacy to have a child if their eggs or embryos have been rendered infertile, or who have had their uterus removed as a result of cancer or other illness, or have been born with functioning ovaries but not a uterus.

lord o'shaughnessy: The provision of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, which requires an applicant to have provided their own gametes to bring about the pregnancy is unchanged by the ruling of the High Court. An Equality Impact Assessment has been completed in respect of the draft remedial order.

NHS: Standards

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish their analysis of the cost of achieving referral to treatment standards as set out in the NHS constitution.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish their analysis of the cost of achieving the NHS's performance targets and patient access standards.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are no plans to publish such analyses. The Government holds NHS England and NHS Improvement to account for delivery of the referral to treatment and other performance targets and patient access standards. Delivery of the standards is impacted by a number of factors such as levels of demand, productivity and financial resources. NHS England has set these out in their Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View, which charts practical and realistic steps for the next few years with the aim of delivering real improvements in patient care and outcomes. Additionally, the Government’s mandate to NHS England for 2017/18 sets a clear expectation that NHS England will meet agreed standards on accident and emergency, ambulances, diagnostics and referral to treatment.